How to Naturally Get Rid of Fleas in Your House and Yard?
What’s In This Guide
A flea infestation can cause a whole heap of problems for both humans and pets. When it comes to dealing with a flea infestation, you can use chemicals and insecticides that will eradicate fleas but these chemicals can be dangerous to both pets and children. You can deal with the problem by using natural remedies that are not only safer for your family but could very well be a whole lot cheaper.
Flea Facts
Before we start with natural flea control remedies for treating your home, pets, and yard, first let’s cover a few facts about fleas. Fleas cause fleabites that can make life uncomfortable and itchy for both you and your pets. Fleas can also carry typhus and tapeworms, as well as causing allergic reactions and infections from sore scratched bites.
When you are dealing with a flea infestation you need to deal with four different stages of this pest’s lifecycle. Only 10% of a flea infestation is made up actual adult fleas that bite. To deal with an infestation effectively you will need to deal with flea eggs that make up half of the population and the rest of the population that is made up of pupa and larvae.
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Pet
It is absolutely essential to treat your pets as well as your yard and home. You can use Diatomaceous Earth (DE) food-grade only to kill fleas that have caused an infestation in your pet. You should take some precautions though and only ever apply a small amount on your pet. When applying the powder, you should ensure that the powder is kept away from your pet’s nose, mouth, and eyes.
Once you have applied the powder, you need to bathe your pet within 12 hours of the application so plan when you apply the powder. Your pet won’t thank you in the short term but the best way to bathe your pet is to ensure that the water comes high up the animal so that the fleas are submerged in the water and lose their grip on your pet and drown.
You can use a mild shampoo when bathing your pet and ensure that the fleas are washed away down the plug. Block the plug after bathing, as fleas are resistant and can jump back out of the drain. You can use a flea comb while bathing your pet to disturb any fleas that have managed to cling on.
Other natural treatments that you can use include brewers or nutritional yeast, which fleas hate the taste of. If you have rosemary growing in your garden then why not make a natural flea repellent by taking two cups of fresh rosemary infused with two pints of boiled water. Leave the infusion for 30 minutes and then add one gallon of warm water and proceed by pouring the solution over your pet. Leave your pet to dry naturally.
You can also make other natural flea repelling solutions. A cheap and natural flea repellent can be made by leaving a finely sliced lemon in one pint of boiling water and leaving it to cool. Decant the infusion into a bottle with an atomizer and spray on to your pet’s fur.
A cheap and natural flea repellent can be made by leaving a finely sliced lemon in one pint of boiling water and leaving it to cool.
Another solution can be made by simply filling a bottle with one part apple cider or white vinegar to three parts water. This solution is best applied to your pet while you are bathing him. Once you have rinsed your pet, spray the solution on to your pet. Any fleas that are still on your pet are far more likely to lose their grip and be washed away.
You can make a natural flea collar for your dog by spraying an essential oil such as tea tree oil on to your dog’s collar but do take care! Tea tree oil should only be used in concentrations of less than 1% as it is a toxic substance. You should never use essential oils on cats.
Aside from tea tree oil, you can also use oils such as citronella, peppermint, geranium, and lavender but only ever use one to two drops in a carrier oil before applying to the dog collar. If you are planning to use a natural remedy for your pet, it is recommended that you seek the advice of your veterinarian before going ahead.
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How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard
Step 1: Clear and Mow
If you have a lawn, then mow it. At the same time, you should clear away weeds and dispose of any garden waste such as leaves, compost, and the mowed grass. You should also concentrate on areas that your pet frequents in the yard—areas where they like to sit and sleep including kennels and areas near trees and fences.
Step 2: Treatment
Once you have cleared your yard, you can begin treating it. Here are two good ways you can use to treat fleas in your yard, naturally and effectively without the use of toxic chemicals. Beneficial nematodes will work well to kill fleas in the yard area of your home. Nematodes are inexpensive and are tiny worms that feed on flea eggs and larvae; they will also deal with other pests such as termites and mosquitoes. They are a completely natural and safe way to deal with fleas. You can purchase these online or at a local Home Depot.
Alternatively, or in conjunction with the nematodes, you can use cedar. Use cedar wood chips to sprinkle around the edge of your property along fenced areas. Any new fleas will be repelled by the cedar. Cedar is a perfectly safe solution for humans and pets and your plants but it has insecticidal and fungicidal properties that will repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. To treat your yard, simply add the oil to a sprayer and using your garden hose to treat the whole of your yard. This is a highly effective way of repelling these pests and will cost far less than other methods such as hiring a pest-control company.
Treating Your Home
There are lots of ways to treat your home from fleas that are natural and safe. Use these easy-to-follow steps to deal with a flea infestation without harsh chemicals:
Treat your carpet first with a natural ingredient, you could use salt, baking soda, or Borax to sprinkle over carpeted areas.Be aware though that Borax can bleach dark surfaces. These methods work by drying out flea eggs that have been laid on your carpet. An alternative to these methods is to apply Diatomaceous Earth (DE) but make sure you use food-grade DE only. DE is a natural flea killer that is made up of fossilized algae.
Leave the DE on your carpeted areas for a few hours prior to vacuuming and in the meantime put pets outside as it may cause pets to become sick if they lick the carpet. After you have vacuumed already, dispose of the sealed bags carefully. You should repeat this process several times to keep fleas at bay and at least once a week to target an infestation.
You should also take the time to wash fabrics and in particular pet bedding. After the washing machine cycle has finished, use your dryer to dry bedding and other fabrics. Use a hot cycle to kill fleas and eggs.
Because fleas like a humid environment, if the air is dry you can effectively kill fleas. Simply invest in a dehumidifier which will dry out the air in your home. Aim to keep the air in your home below 50% humidity.
An electronic flea trap is also a method of treating fleas in the home naturally. These traps are generally made up of two parts: there is a light source that attracts fleas and then a liquid trap to kill fleas that enter. Ensure that you place the traps away from children and pets.
You can make your own flea trap by imitating this simple device. Fill a tray with a little soap and water and place it next to a lamp or candle. It will work in the same way as the electronic version by attracting fleas to the light and heat source. You should take suitable safety precautions with candles and keep the light source on a stable surface away from children and pets and with the power source away from the tray of soapy water.
Fleas are repelled by citrus, so this is an excellent natural remedy for dealing with these pests. You can use any kind of citrus fruit but lemons work well. You should make an infusion by boiling lemons in water for around ten minutes. Leave the solution overnight for the oils and juices to infuse. Put the solution into a spray bottle and spray areas of your home.
You can make other natural flea-repellents by using essential oils such as citronella and peppermint. Add a few drops to a spray bottle of water and treat your home in the same way. Alternatively, make an infusion of rosemary or an apple cider or white vinegar solution and spray around the home for a completely natural flea-repellent spray.